Conjugation of Verbs

Types of Verbs

Ichidan Verbs Godan Verbs
dictionary (regular) form usually end in -eru dictionary (regular) form usually end in -aru, -uru, -oru
the -nai form has an -i or -e vowel before the -nai the -nai form has an -a vowel before the -nai

Exceptions: aru, kuru, suru

Ichidan Verbs

You can build any form just by dropping the -ru.

Positive Negative Positive Polite Negative Polite
Regular taberu (to eat) tabenai tabemasu tabemasen
Volitional tabeyō
taberu darō
tabenai darō tabemashō
taberu deshō
tabenai deshō
Imperative tabero taberu na tabete kudasai tabenai de kudasai
Past Indicative tabeta tabenakatta tabemashita tabemasen deshita
Past Presumtive tabetarō
tabeta darō
tabenakatta darō tabeta deshō tabenakatta deshō
Present Progressive tabete iru - tabete imasu tabete imasen
Past Progressive tabete ita - tabete imashita tabete imasen deshita
Provisional Conditional tabereba tabenakereba - -
Conditional tabetara tabenakattara tabemashitara tabemasen deshitara
Potential taberareru taberarenai taberaremasu taberaremasen
Causative tabesaseru tabesasenai tabesasemasu tabesasemasen
Passive taberareru taberarenai taberaremasu taberaremasen

Additional Forms

tabesasero - make someone eat
tabetai - want to eat
tabenagara - while eating
tabesugiru - too much to eat, see すぎる

The -te form can be combined with multiple other words, e.g. ている、ていく、てくる、ては、ても.

Note

Exceptions:
suru - Regular --> shimasu - Polite

Godan Verbs

More complex conjugation...

Positive Negative Positive Polite Negative Polite
Regular nomu (to drink) nomanai nomimasu nomimasen
Volitional nomō
nomu darō
nomanai darō nomimashō
nomu deshō
nomanai deshō
Imperative nome nomu na nonde kudasai nomanai de kudasai
Past Indicative nonda nomanakatta nomimashita nomimasen deshita
Past Presumtive nondarō
nonda darō
nomanakatta darō nonda deshō nomanakatta deshō
Present Progressive nonde iru - nonde imasu nonde imasen
Past Progressive nonde ita - nonde imashita nonde imasen deshita
Provisional Conditional nomeba nomanakereba - -
Conditional nondara nomanakattara nomimashitara nomimasen deshitara
Potential nomeru nomenai nomemasu nomemasen
Causative nomaseru nomasenai nomasemasu nomasemasen
Passive nomareru nomarenai nomaremasu nomaremasen

Additional Forms

masu stem:
nomitai - want to drink
nominagara - while drinking
nomisugiru - drink too much
nomiyasui - easy to drink
nominasai - please drink
nomimashou - let's drink